There are roses from wide parts of the
world in this catalog. It is
like a port populated with many nationalities, some purebred and others
of
mixed blood. Some are tough and hardy with a natural ability
to stay
dormant through alternating freezing and growing temperatures, allowing
them
to survive more severe climates; some are soft and tender from
mild
climates where living is no challenge; others a mixture of both.
We now list the old, rare and unusual roses
with the modern roses.
This seems a natural thing to do since many of the newer varieties
enhance
plantings of old roses, are exceptionally hardy, unusual, and need
as little
fussing as old and rare roses.
The following paragraph explains the type
of rose listed, but we also
list the approximate date of discovery or introduction of each variety
in
order to help those of you seeking historical roses.
After the name of each of the old, rare and
unusual roses the
classification, or type, is given. There are as many types of
roses as
there are races of people and breeds of dogs. The same thing
is true of
roses as the "begats" in the Book of Genesis. Species roses were
cross
pollinated by nature and a new type of roses came into existence.
Botanists
can only surmise what happened before records were kept, but it is
believed
Rosa Gallica is the Adam of the old European roses, and it crossed
with Rosa
Moschata begat the Autumn Damask. Rosa Gallica
crossed with Rosa
Canina begat the Alba, and crossed with Rosa Phoenicia
begat
the Damask.
The Damask crossed with Alba begat the Centifolia.
All the roses directly descended from Rosa
Gallica are extremely
hardy, and except for the Autumn Damasks, have one annual flowering.
In the late 1700s botanists, accompanying
expeditions exploring the world,
discovered ever blooming roses in the sub-tropics of China and brought
them to
Europe.
Cross pollination by nature and man between
the China or Tea roses from
China and the descendants of Rosa Gallica brought into existence the
types
known as Bourbon, Portland, Hybrid Perpetual and finally Hybrid
Tea.
In addition to all this, hundreds of species
have been discovered,
brought into cultivation and have made natural crosses or have been
used by
hybridizers. Important among these are the Rugosas (the hardiest
of all
roses), Hybrid Rugosas and Hybrid Musks.
The more China or Tea there is in the ancestry
of a rose the less hardy
it is in severe climates, and the roses classed as Tea, China, Noisette
and the
species with Chinensis in their names should be grown only in
mild climates.
Many people who live where there are cold winters and quick changes
from warm
to freezing weather in the spring grow these types with success in
protected places,
but I don't recommend them to anyone who is not experienced and minds
losing a
plant now and then.
Graham Stuart Thomas has written a number
of books on plants, gardens,
and especially roses. He has now combined his early three books on
roses
into one concise anthology - the title is "Graham Stuart Thomas' Rose
Book". A real treasure.
Very hardy types of roses are:
Gallica, Autumn Damask, Damask,
Centifolia, Moss, Hybrid Rugosa, Hybrid Spinossisima, most Shrubs
and Species.
Hybrid Perpetual, Hybrid Musk, Polyantha,
Portland, Bourbon,
Floribunda, Hybrid Tea and Grandiflora roses are reasonably hardy
and one
needs to show concern for them during extreme temperature changes,
as well
as giving them winter protection in severe climates.
Tender roses which should be grown
only in very mild climates or in a
temperature controlled greenhouse are Noisette, Tea, China and Hybrid
China.
Tender roses indicated with @.See
Roses for various Zones.